New International Religious Freedom Act a First for Atheists

Religion News Service’s Kimberly Winston reports that the updated international religious freedom act explicitly recognizes atheists as a protected class for the first time. On Friday, President Obama signed the updated version of the 1998 law, called the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act. It reads, “[T]he freedom of thought, conscience, and religion is understood to protect theistic and non-theistic beliefs, and the right not to profess or practice any religion.” Caroline Mala Corbin, a professor at the University of Miami, said of the law, “It takes an expansive view of religious liberty, saying freedom of religion is not just about the right to practice religion. It is also about the right to have your own views about religion including being agnostic and atheistic.”